Monson Photography FAQ: What sort of editing will be performed on my images?

In this digital age, 99% of photos you view have some sort of digital darkroom processing done on them. The degree of processing varies, depending greatly on the photographer and/or editor.

Monson Photography is dedicated to making Clients look their very best. During a session, I focus on posing my Clients in ways that flatter their physical appearance. However, every image still requires a small degree of "tweaking" to make them look perfect. I am a believer in not over-doing this "tweaking". What I CAN promise on every image that a client orders is the following:

a. Removal of stray hairs that stick out, catch the light, and draw your eye away from the subject

b. Subtle teeth whitening to brighten the smile

c. Removal of temporary blemishes (small scratches, bruises, acne)

d. Lightening of under eye circles

e. Very subtle skin smoothing and wrinkle reduction, if necessary (Usually for very close-up head shots)

f. Removal of distracting objects that do not add to the image (i.e. other people on the beach)

g. Overall sharpening/contrast boost

Here are some things that are NOT part of my typical editing process:

a. Wrinkles from clothing (If there are just one or two, I remove them, but it is the Client's responsibility to look neat and presentable during their session.)

b. Nail polish (Your hands are attached and will show in some of your images. Please plan accordingly!)

c. Shoes (Sometimes, Clients carefully plan an outfit but forget all about the shoes. Just like your hands, your feet are attached to your body and will show in some of your photos. I have been asked before to crop out feet. Please note, this severely limits my ability to provide you with quality images, as I am limited on posing. Don't forget your shoes!)

e. Background elements that are part of the image (i.e. For public/downtown sessions, I typically do not remove vehicles on the street)

f. "Photoshop diet" - I often hear Clients joke, "You're going to take ten pounds off, right?", but as noted above, instead I will try to use poses that flatter the Client's body. I truly understand the struggle of being self-conscious about parts of your body. We ALL have body parts we'd prefer to look differently. However, I believe a photo of YOU is not really a photo of YOU if we make you look like someone else.

g. "Photoshop Fountain of Youth" - Like the "Photoshop Diet", only the joke is "ten years younger". Again, I will edit your images to make you look your very best, while making sure you still look like YOU. I am extremely careful about editing lines around eyes, as they are part of your expression!

Regarding the above items that are not part of my editing process, some of those things can be accomplished on images - however subtly. Anything above the standard editing is considered in excess and additional editing fees may apply, as per our session contract. The one exception to this would be for permanent marks/scars - I would remove small birthmarks or scars at no additional cost to you. However, large scars requiring extensive editing would incur fees for editing.

Please note; additional editing is done SOLELY at the Client's request. I would never, EVER perform additional editing on your photos and send you a bill!